Fire and Emergency New Zealand has announced that the entire Wellington District will move into a restricted fire season starting at 8am on Feb. 25, continuing until further notice.
The restriction, already in effect for Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast since late January, will now include Wellington’s urban areas, the Hutt Valley, and the Wairarapa.
Under the restricted fire season, outdoor fires require permits, which must be obtained through https://www.checkitsalright.nz/.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s Wellington District community risk manager, Phil Soal, attributed the decision to ongoing dry weather and strong winds.
“The vegetation has dried out and the fire danger is now high, meaning any escaping fires will be fast moving and difficult to control and extinguish,” he said.
Insurance companies and brokers are urged to advise policyholders to check local fire restrictions before lighting any fires, as non-compliance could have insurance implications in the event of damage or loss.
“This is a very risky time of year for wildfires, so we’re asking everyone to help us keep Wellington District’s people, property, and environment safe from fires this summer,” Soal said.
Fire restrictions have also been implemented in Southland, where a restricted fire season was declared on Feb. 4 due to prolonged dry conditions and heightened wildfire risks.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand Southland district manager Julian Tohiariki said a combination of rising temperatures, dry vegetation, and wind has increased the likelihood of fires igniting and spreading rapidly.
The restrictions come amid growing concerns about New Zealand’s warming climate. Data from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) indicated that 2024 was one of the country’s warmest years on record, with an average national temperature of 13.25°C to 0.51°C above the 1991 to 2020 baseline.
With drier conditions becoming more frequent, wildfire risks are expected to increase across multiple regions.
In response to the growing fire risks, University of Canterbury students have collaborated with Fire and Emergency New Zealand to study how hedgerows and shelterbelts influence wildfire behaviour.
The study, led by student researcher George Hamilton, focused on identifying vegetation types that either exacerbate or mitigate fire spread. Hamilton, who experienced a wildfire near his home during childhood, said the research aimed to provide practical strategies for rural fire management.
The findings indicated that pine hedgerows pose a significant fire hazard due to their high flammability, whereas native vegetation with lower flammability could help reduce wildfire risks.
Hamilton also suggested that increasing the distance between hedgerows and buildings could be an effective way to limit fire damage.
